Machine for treating leather



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MACHINE FOR TREATING LEATHER.

No. 451,486. '7 Patented May 5, 1891.

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A. A. HUNTING. MACHINE FOR TREATING LEATHER.

No. 451,486. Patented May 5,1891.

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A. A. HUNTING. MAOHINE FOR TREATING LEATHER.

Patented May 5,1891.

a WW Q Q0 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED A. HUNTING, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR TREATING LEATHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,486, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed March 24, 1890. Serial No. 345,122. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. HUNTING, of Salem, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Nachines for Treating Leather, of which the fol lowing description,in connection with the ac companying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to apparatus for treating leather, especially sides of leather, after having been partially tanned.

My invention has for its object to provide an apparatus or machine by which the side of leather may be stretched without detriment to its strength and be compressed at the same time to com pact and make denser the fiber of the leather, so that when subsequently subjected to the action of a knife a side of leather having a substantially uniform thickness and density is obtained, whereby in the subsequent steps of the process of tanning the fiber of the leather may be substantially uniformly affectedthatis,theleather maybe pl umped to a uniform thickness.

The particular features of my invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

. Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of a machine for treating leather embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section of the machine on line 00 00, Fig. 3, the pressure cylinder or roller being omitted; Fig. 3,a transverse section of the machine on line m as, Fig. at; Fig. 4, a front elevation,partially broken out and on a smaller scale, of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a top or plan view of the machine shown in Fig. l on a smaller scale; Fig. 6, a detail to be referred to Fig. 7, a detail in elevation, partially broken out, of a pressure cylinder or roller; Fig. 8, a detail in side view of the main driving-gear, the pressure-cylinder gear, and intermediate gears; Fig. 9, a detail of the pressure-cylinder, its gears, the intermediate gears, and one form of knife; Fig. 10, a detail of the clamping device for holding the leather; Fig. 11, asectional detail on line 3 y, Fig. Fig. 12, a sectional detail on line y y, Fig. 10; Fig. 13, a sectional detail on line 1 3 Fig. 11; Figs. 14 and 15, modified forms of adj usting devices for the pressure-0y]inders, and

Fig. 16 a side elevation of the modification shown in Fig. 15.

My invention is herein shown as embodied in an apparatus in which the side of leather is secured, as will be described,t0 a traveling bed or support (shown as a revolving drum or cylindrical frame a) having near its opposite sides or ends webs a,secured,as by bolts (F, to disks, wheels, or spiders a only one of which is shown in Fig. 2, the said disks or wheels being mounted on a shaft a, having bearings in suitable boxes a, supported by frames a only one of which is shown in Fig. 1. Each frame a has secured to it, as herein shown, a substantially semicircular casting or frame a provided with radially-extended arms a slotted at their upper ends to receive the journal-boxes a for a shaft or arbor a (see Fig. 7) of a pressure cylinder or roller a adapted to be brought in contact with the side of leather a, (see Fig. 3,) as will be, described, there being five of such arms and pressure cylinders on the machine herein shown. Each pressurecylinder or roller a is preferably loose on its shaft or arbor a and is made fast thereon by'a friction clutch or device at each end, the said friction device being shown as composed of two rings or disks a a, (see Fig. 7,) having a washer a interposed between them, the ring a being keyed on the shaft a and having a boss or hub e extended into the end of the cylinder a the ring a being frictionally secured to the ring a by check-nuts a. Each friction-. ring 60 at opposite ends of the pressure-cyls inder is provided, as shown, with gear-teeth a which mesh with an intermediate gear or pinion a driven by a gear or pinion e in mesh with a large gearwheel (L23, 'secured to the drum a. The pitclrline of the gears e on the pressure-cylinder is made different from the pitch-line of the gears (L23 on the drum, so that the surface speed of the pressure-cylinder will be different from the surface speed of the drum. As herein shown, the diameter of the gear a is smaller than the diameter of the drum, and the diameter of the gear (1 is larger than the diameter of the pressure-cylinder, and as a result the surface speed of the pressure-cylinder is slower than that of the drum, whereby the leather as it passes under the bressure-cylinder is ICO stretched, the drum acting to carry the leather forward, while the pressure-cylinder acts to hold it back. The pinions a a are mounted on shafts supported by arms a o attached to the radial arms a Thehousings a" of the pressure cylinders or rollers are connected, as by links a to pressure-adjusting devices (shown as levers) of, pivoted, as at (4 to the radial arms and provided with an adjustable weight a, by means of which the cylinder a may be made to bear upon the leather with any desired pressure, and the pressure upon the leather may be increased and decreased, as desired-as for instance, the weight of one pressure-eylinder may be adjusted to compress the leather a certain amount and the weight of the next succeedingpressure-cylinder may be adjusted to bear upon the partially compressed leather with additional force, thereby compressing the leather still more, and so on according to the number of pressure-cylinders employed. The intermediate gears or pinionsa a permit thepressure cylinders or rollers to be adjusted with relation to the drum a to allow thicker or thinner material to pass under the pressureeylinders and at the same time maintain constant the ratio of speed between the said pressure cylinders and drum until such time as the friction between the pressure-cylinders and the leather becomes greater than that between the said gears, at which time the pressure-cylinders are permitted to be revolved with the leather, thereby obviating disintegration of the fiber of the leather.

The machine is herein shown as provided on substantially diametrically-opposite sides with holding devices, preferably of like construction, by which the leather is held upon the traveling support or drum. Each holding device referred to is herein shown as a substantially wedge'shaped box 1), (see Fig. 10,) fitted into a correspondiugly-shaped slot or opening in the outer ring 2 of the drum. The box Z1 at its opposite end has a guide-bar 1), (see Fig. 11,) extended through a slot or opening in the inner ring 3 of the drum, and the said bar is guided in its movement, as herein shown, by means of a boltb extended through a slot b in a bar Z), secured to the inner ring 3 of the drum, the said bolt having a nut I), by which the bar I) is loosely clamped to the bar 0*. The box I) is also guided in its vertical movement, as herein shown, by means of bolts 11 one at each end, which are extended through. slots If" in the axial wail 4c of the drum. (See dotted lines, Fig. 11.) The holding device or box Z) is moved radially, as herein shown, by means of bars or rods if, extended through the box at its opposite ends, only one of said rods being shown in Figs. 10 and 11, and the upper end of each rod is herein shown extended through a block I), supported upon a spring or buffer 1). Each rod b at its lower end is provided with a stud I), having secured to it, as by a screw I), a roller I), which is moved in engagement with an outer ring I)", (see Fig. 1,) provided with a cam-shaped portion b and a portion of an inner ring 11", provided with a cam-shaped portion Z).

In operation the holding'box Z) is raised into its dotted-line position, Figs. 1. and 10, when the roller I) is in engagement with the camshaped portions Z2 Z)", and at such time one end of the side of leather is placed between the said box and the drum, so that when in I the revel utionof the drum the roller is brought in engagement with the concentric portion of the ring Z) the said leather is firmly held to the drum, as shown in Fig. The drum is revolved, as herein shown, by means of gears or pinions c on a main shaft 0, having bearings in the frame and provided with pulleys c (see Fig. 6,) the said pinions meshing with the gears (L on opposite sides of the drum. The side of leather a held on the drum is caused to pass under the prcssure-cylinders a in succession duringa revolution of the drum,and as the leather is carried under each pressure-cylinder in sueeession it is squeezed and stretched between the drum and the pressure-cylinders, which are revolved in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows, Fig. 8. The pressurecylinders a may be weighted differently, so that the leather partially stretched and compressed by one cylinder may be subjected to greater pressure by a succeeding or next adjacent cylinder, and the leather still further stretched and compressed. By means of the intermediate gears the ratio of surface speed between the pressure-cylindcrs and the drum is maintained constant, in order to obtain the desired amount of stretch to the leather in one revolution of the drum, and this ratio is not changed when the weighted lovers are adjusted to increase or decrease the pressure upon the leather. In this manner the leather is stretched to its maximum extent without detriment to its fiber, whichis compacted and rendered denser, so that a solid side of leather may be presented to the action of a knife or cutting-tool 0*, which in the present instance is shown as a reciprocating knife, but which may be rotary, stationary, or what is known as a belt-knife, according to the class of work desired. The knife 0 is secured, as by bolts c, to a knife-carrier c (shown in Fig. 3 as a triangular-shaped bar,) provided, as shown, with end pieces 0, having studs c supported by and adapted to slide in bearings (shown as hubs) 0 connected by a web 0, secured to or forming part of aplate or bar 0", (see Fig. 4,) fastened, as by bolts 0, to abase-plate secured to the frame of the machine. The knife-carrier c has secured to itnear its center, as herein shown, a post or stud c to which is pivoted, as at c,a link c pivotally secured at its opposite end to crank e (see Fig. 1) on a shaft 0, having bearings in the lj'rame-work. The shaft 0" is rotated, as herein shown, by means of a bevel-gear c on the said shaft in mesh with a bevcl-gear c on a arm 0 attached to the frame-work of the machine, the shaft 0 having on its opposite end a bevel-gear 0 in mesh with a bevel-gear e on a shaft 0 having mounted on it a pinion 0 in mesh with a gear 0 on ashaft 0 provided with a pinion o (see dotted lines, Fig. l, and full lines, Fig. 4,) in mesh with a gear 0 on a shaft 0 the gear 0 being in mesh with a pinion 0 which meshes with and is driven by the driving-gear er The rotation of the shaft 0 through the system of gears described, produces longitudinal movement of the link 0 and reciprocation of the knifecarrier and its knife.

The knife 0 has co-operating with it, as shown, a guide-roller (Z, (see Fig. 3,) beneath which the side of leather is passed, and as the said side of leatherissues from under the roller the said side is split or cut into two layers or parts d (1 the upper part cl forming what is technically known as the split and the lower part d what is known as the hide. The split portion or layer passes over the knife, and when completely severed from the hide falls to the floor or into a suitable receptacle, (not shown,) while the hide remains firmly held upon the drum until the roller Z) engages the cam-shaped portions 11 Z)" of the rings, at which time the holding device or box I) is moved radially outward, and the hide of leather is released and permitted to drop preferably upon a carrier (shown as a traveling endless belt) f located below the drum, or the said hide may drop upon the floor. The endless carrier f is passed over two rollers f f and is caused to travel by a system of gears connecting a gear f on the shaft of the roller f with one of the main driving-gears o, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 by dotted lines and in Fig. 6 by full lines. The guide-roller cl is rotated by means of a pinion d on its shaft in mesh with a pinion d on a second roller-shaft d driven by the gear on the pressure-roller a as shown in Fig. 9.

The knife-carrier and its knife may be adjusted with relation to the drum, as herein shown, (see Fig. 1,) by means of check-nuts ff on a threaded rod f which is extended through a transverse slot in one side of a link f pivoted in lugs or cars on a base-plate f, to which the bar 0 is secured, the said threaded rod being supported at its opposite ends by lugs f secured to the said base-plate. bar 0 and the base-plate f are provided with slots, (not shown,) through which the bolts 0 are extended. If it is desired to adjust the knife, the nuts on the bolts 0 are loosened and one of the check-nuts f f turned to move the knife-carrier toward or away from the drum, so that the said knife may cut a split of any desired thickness. To permit the knifecarrier to be adjusted toward and from the drum and at the same time maintain the stud or post 0 and its connecting-link 0 in correct working position, the said knife-carrier The is provided with a slot f (see Fig. 3,) the said post or stud being held in its correct working position by guides, such as crossbars f, (see Fig. 3,) secured to the frame of the machine.

The knife-carrier maybe removed from the machine for purpose of sharpening or other- Wise treating the knife by unscrewing the check-nutsff to unclamp the link f and then turning the'said link upon its pivot to disengage it from the threaded rod, and thereby from the frame of the machine.

By means of the weighted pressure-cylinders the leather is stretched to its maximum limit, and at the same time the fiber of the leather is compacted and made denser, so that when acted upon by the knife the leather is out clean and danger of disintegrating or tearing apart of the fiber by the said knife is reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, waste of material is avoided and a stronger split and .hide obtained. The pressure-cylinders also reduce the sides to substantially a uniform thickness, so that when out the hides taken from the machine may be of substantially uniform thickness, thereby reducing the number of grades of leather.

The hide taken from the machine is so solidified by its treatment on passing through the machine that the fiber of the hide in subsequent processes of tanning may be uniformly affectedthat is, the hide may be plumped to a uniform thickness.

Thetravelin g supportor bed is herein shown as a revolving drum, and while I prefer to employ this form of bed or support I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as other forms of traveling support or bed may be used. So, also, I prefer to employ a reciprocating knife; but I do not desire to limit myself in this respect, as other forms of knives may be used.

The pressure-cylinders a are preferably provided with a friction clutch or device, as the said roller is permitted to be revolved when the friction between it and the leather is greater than that between the said roller and its friction-clutch, thus preventing the leather from being stretched to such extent as to disintegrate the fiber, and at the same time the leather is prevented from being ironed and given aglossy surface appearance.

The machine herein described enables the sides of leather to be more quickly treated, and consequently a much larger number of sides of leather to be treated in a given time, thereby reducing the cost of. manufacture of splits and hides. I

The main shaft 0' is driven independently of the drum-shaft a to avoid vibration or chattering of the said drum, and thereby ob tain a more uniform and nicer split and. hide.

The journals of the drum-shaft and the journals of the pressure-roller shafts are preferably provided with annular flanges f (see I Fig. 2,) which extend into corresponding IIO grooves in their journal-boxes to preventside play or end motion of the drum and pressurecylinders.

To take up the wear upon the studs a of the reciprocatingknife-carrier, removable gibs or blocks (see Fig. 1) maybe provided in the hubs e and secured therein by a boltf in usual manner.

I have herein shown the pressure-cylinders as provided with adj ustably-weighted levers, by which the pressure of the cylinders upon the leather may be varied; but I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as other means may be employed to obtain the desired pressure-such, for instance, as springs, only one m of which is shown in Fig. 14:, or it may be a wedge m (see Figs. 15 and 16) to hold the journal-boxes in adjusted position.

I haveherein shown one form of mechanism by which to reciprocate the knife; but I do not desire to limitmyself to the particular mechanism shown,as it is evident other wellknown forms and combination of parts may be used. m

The frames a are preferably connected together by tie-bars 71 (see Fig. 5) to strengthen the machine.

I claim 1. In a machine for treating leather, the combination, with a traveling support or bed to which the said leather may be attached, a clamping device on said bed to hold the leading end of the leather, and gearing secured to said bed or support, of a plurality of ad justable pressure-cylindcrs co-operating with said support or bed to stretch the leather and compact the fiber as it is carried thereunder, gearing on said cylinders, adjusting means, substantially as described, to regulate the pressure of the said cylinders, whereby a constant or varying pressure may be obtained,and intermediate gearing connecting the gearing on the pressure-cylinders with the gearing on the traveling bed or support, whereby the ratio of surface speed between the bed and pressure-cylinders is maintained constant, and a knife or cutting-tool to act on the said leather after it has passed from under the pressurecylinders, the lower partor hide being firmly clamped 011 the bed, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for treating leather, the combination, with a traveling support or bed to which the said leather may be attached and gearing secured to said bed or support, of a plurality of pressure-cylinders co operating with said support or bed to stretch the leather and gradually compact the fiber, gearing on said cylinders, movable-bearings for said cylinders, and means to vary the pressure of said cylinders, and intermediate gearing connecting the gearing on the pressurecylinders with the gearing 011 the traveling bed or support, whereby the ratio of surface speed between the bed and pressure-cylinders is maintained constant, and amovable knife or cutting-tool to act on the said leather while stretched after it has passed from under the pressure-cylinders, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for treating leather, the combination, with a traveling support or bed, a holding device to secure the leather to said bed, and gearing secured to said bed or support, of a plurality of pressure-cylimlers cooperating with said support or bed to stretch the leather and compact the fiber, movable bearings for said cylinders, gearing on said cylinders, means to vary the pressure of said cylinders, and intermediate gearing connecting the gearing on the pressure-eylinders with the gearing on the traveling bed or support, whereby the ratio of the surface speed between the bed and pressure-cylinders is maintained constant, substantially as described.

l. In a machine for treating leather, the combination, with a traveling drum or support provided with a gear of a different diameter from the drnm,of aplurality of press ure-cylinders, each provided with a gear of a different diameter from the cylinders, movable bearings for said cylinders, means to vary the pressure of the cylinders, and intermediate gears or pinions connecting said cylinder and drum gears, to operate substantially as described.

5. In a machine for treating leather, the combination, with a traveling bed or support provided with gear-teeth and to which the said leather may be attached, of one or more pressure-cylinders co-operating with said support or bed to stretch the leather and compact the fiber and provided with gears out of mesh with the geai teeth on the bed or support, intermediate gears to connect the cylinders with the gear-teeth on the bed or support, a knife or cutting-tool to act on said leather after it has been compressed, a knifecarrier, and a threaded rod and check-nuts thereon connected to the carrier, whereby the carrier may be adjusted toward and from the bed or support, substantially as described.

(5. In a machine for treating leather, the combinatiomwith a drum provided with gears and a main driving-shaft having gears to rotate the gears on the drum, of a plurality of independent pressure-cylindcrs having gears, movable bearings for said cylinders, means to vary the pressure of the said cylinders, intermediate gears connecting the drum and cylinder gears, and a knife to act on the leather after it has passed under the pressure-eyliw ders, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for treating leather, the combination, with a drum having an axial slot in its periphery, of a clamping device located in said slot and consisting of a wedgeshaped box provided with guide-bars 1), extended through the drum, means to secure said guide-bars loosely to the said drum, rods 7 ers, a main driving-shaft provided with gears connected to the gears 011 the drum, and pressure-cylinders provided with gears out of mesh with the gears on the drum, and intermediate gears connecting the gears on the drum with the gears on said cylinders, substantially as described.

9. In a machine for treating leather, the combination, with a drum provided with gears and having an axial slot in its periphery, of a clamping device located in said slot and provided with bars having studs or rollers, a cam-ring co-operating with said studs or rollers, a main driving-shaft provided with gears connected to the gears on the drum, and pressure-cylinders provided with gears connected to and rotated by the gears on the drum, a knife-carrier and its knife, and means to re ciprocate said knife, substantially as described.

10. In amachine for treating leather, the combination, with a revolving drum, of a clamping device to secure the leather thereto, a pressure-cylinder co-operating with the drum to compress the leather, a knife to split the leather after being compressed, and a carrier located below the drum to receive one portion of the leather therefrom after being treated and split, substantially as described.

11. In a machine for treating leather, the combination, with a traveling support or bed to which the said leather may be attached, of one or more loose pressure-cylinders co-open ating with said support orbed, and a friction device to engage said cylinder and hold it fast until the friction between the leather and 1 cylinder exceeds the friction between the said cylinder and friction device, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, ALFRED A. HUNTING. Witnesses:

Mrs. H. CHURCHILL, EMMA. J. BENNETT. 

